Nick heads Freshfields’ international arbitration group in Asia and is an experienced international arbitration counsel and advocate.
Nick represents clients in commercial and construction disputes across a variety of industries, under all major arbitral rules, including ICSID, ICC, SIAC, UNCITRAL, HKIAC, AIAC, JCAA, LCIA, AAA and NAI, and under all major systems of law.
He leads one of the most active treaty arbitration practices in Asia, representing both investors and states, in high-profile, politically complex cases around Asia and the world. Nick accepts occasional appointments as arbitrator.
Nick advises clients on the management of high-stakes litigation in jurisdictions around the Indo-Pacific.
Band 1-ranked by all major legal directories, Nick is recognised as a “Global Elite Thought Leader” by Lexology Index and one of the “45 Under 45” leading arbitration practitioners globally by GAR.
He is a co-author of the second edition of the Oxford University Press treatise on the SIAC Arbitration Rules.
A former law clerk to the Chief Justice of Australia, Nick was educated at the University of Queensland, where he graduated at the top of his class in law and Japanese, and Harvard Law School, where he was a Frank Knox Memorial Fellow.
Nick serves as the Firm’s Singapore managing partner. He speaks English and Japanese.
- Representing a financial sponsor in a SIAC arbitration (Korean law, Singapore seat) concerning the termination of what would have been Korea’s largest-ever real estate transaction
- Representing a financial sponsor in a SIAC arbitration (Indian law, Singapore seat) concerning its exit from a joint venture in the power sector, leading to a favourable settlement
- Representing a financial sponsor in a SIAC arbitration (Indian law, Mumbai seat) concerning the development of a major real estate project and related allegations of oppression and mismanagement (including the successful defence of emergency arbitration proceedings)
- Representing an automotive manufacturer in an LCIA arbitration (English law, London seat) concerning the termination of a distribution agreement relating to the distribution of vehicles and parts in Iraq
- Representing Eurus Energy in an Energy Charter Treaty arbitration under the ICSID Rules against Spain, relating to changes to Spain's regulatory regime on tariffs in the renewable energy sector, in which Eurus Energy was awarded €106.2m in damages, the largest publicly known ISDS award for a Japanese investor
- Representing a multinational manufacturing company in a billion-dollar dispute (Singapore law, Singapore seat) over the exercise of inter-related put options and the termination of a long-term manufacturing joint venture in Central Asia due to misconduct by the JV partner, leading to a favourable settlement
- Representing a Japanese trading house in procedurally complex SIAC and ICC arbitrations (English law, Singapore seats) against a Chinese company, relating to the termination of a long-term contract for mineral supplies to China, with all monetary claims against the client dismissed
- Advising a consortium of investors on a potential billion-dollar ICSID arbitration against the Government of Indonesia relating to a hydroelectric project and aluminium smelter, leading to a comprehensive and favourable settlement
- Representing an energy investor in defending complex commercial claims (ICC) arising from investments impacted by political upheaval in Thailand
- Representing the Republic of Korea in the high-profile investor-State arbitration under the KORUS FTA brought by Elliott Associates, L.P.
- Representing a multinational oil and gas company in a billion-dollar arbitration concerning the construction of a floating platform, leading to victory on all claims
- Representing a multinational oil and gas company in a SIAC arbitration (English law, Singapore seat) concerning certain trading structures, leading to an award for the full amount claimed
